Qantas will launch a nonstop route from Sydney to Cape Town in October, 2027, expanding its South African network alongside existing services to Johannesburg.
New Sydney-Cape Town Route
The nonstop service will operate from Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD) to Cape Town International Airport (CPT). The service will begin on Oct. 19, 2027, with services running until March 24, 2028.
Flights are planned to run three times per week on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, totalling up to 30,000 seats. The route will be operated by Qantas‘ new Boeing 787-9s, planned to arrive in late 2027 as part of the wider fleet renewal programme.
This flight will complement the existing Sydney and Perth route to Johannesburg, expanding the Australia-South Africa market.
Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace said:
“Cape Town is a true bucket-list city, and Australia’s appetite to visit has never been stronger.”
An International Destination
Cape Town is a popular international destination, with its tourism industry generating 24.5 billion South African Rand in direct tourism spend and sustaining more than 106,000 jobs in 2025, with international visitor spending reaching a record R19 billion.
It is famous for its Big Six attractions, featuring the World Heritage Site Table Mountain, Cape Point, Groot Constantia, Robben Island, Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, and the V&A Waterfront.
According to Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), Cape Town recorded 11.1 million two-way passengers in 2025, a 7% increase from 2024. Australia is its sixth-largest source market, with 51,971 arrivals. Other major source markets include the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, and France.
Would the new Sydney-Cape Town route influence your holiday destination choices? Let us know in the comments!
